The present invention relates to a shipping device constructed particularly for transporting a heater unit assembly which is to be employed in a reactor vessel annealing treatment.
The device according to the present invention is based on the structure disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,228, which issued on Dec. 22, 1987. That patent was directed to a support structure for use in transporting a cylindrical container, such as a nuclear reactor component.
It is known that the pressure vessels of nuclear reactors experience a phenomenon known as embrittlement due to their exposure to neutron radiation and that the adverse effects of this phenomenon can be reversed by subjecting the pressure vessel to an annealing treatment. Since it is impractical to remove such a pressure vessel for transport to an annealing facility, it has been proposed to transport annealing equipment to the reactor site.
Certain proposed annealing equipment includes a heater unit assembly which has the general configuration and size of the interior of the reactor pressure vessel and is provided with an array of heater units disposed to effect uniform heating of the pressure vessel. In order to utilize a heater unit assembly, it is, of course, necessary to transport it to the reactor site while protecting the assembly against damage.